Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Online Political Discussion With Automated Bot Intervention, Bethanie E. Hackett

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The quality of political discussions occurring on online platforms or social media sites has been deemed quite poor. To address this issue, I investigated whether a Large Language Model (LLM) can be used to promote civil and productive political discussions by identifying and responding to unproductive dialogue. I fine-tuned an existing LLM to detect elements of problematic dialogue, namely misinformation, misrepresentation of sources, logical fallacies, bias, and toxic language, and then respond in a corrective yet non-confrontational manner. The resulting model is referred to as FroBot and was evaluated through an experiment in which a human participant was placed in …

An Interdisciplinary Review Of The Gaslighting Literature And Future Research Agenda, Paula A. Kincaid, Samantha C.O. Stalion

Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Gaslighting is increasingly discussed in organizational contexts, yet its meaning, boundaries, and process remain unclear within management and organizational scholarship. Although research on gaslighting has expanded across multiple disciplines, existing work is conceptually fragmented and difficult to integrate, limiting cumulative theory development and empirical progress. In this review, we synthesize 56 years of gaslighting research (1969-2025; 266 articles) to clarify how gaslighting has been defined, studied, and applied, with particular attention paid to its relevance for work and organizational settings. We identify four recurring ways gaslighting has been conceptualized and show how variation across these approaches has contributed to inconsistent …

The Effects Of Fluency Building On Undergraduate Student Performance, Lauren B. Shibley

Dissertations

Online learning has become integral to higher education, with enrollment steadily increasing over the past decade and accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research highlights the importance of flexibility, learner autonomy, and self-regulated learning skills in this environment, with studies demonstrating that strategies such as mastery-based, self-paced instruction, fluency training, and timely feedback support student engagement and academic success. Early work adapting personalized instruction for online use (Pear & Crone-Todd, 1999) and subsequent studies on fluency practice (Quigley et al., 2018; Urbina et al., 2019) emphasize how these supports can improve concept retention. Despite these advances, more quantitative research is needed …

The New Wild West: A Case Study Analysis Of The Communication Methods Surrounding Ai Infrastructure In West Texas, Thomas Sorensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the past several years, artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm. It has enabled numerous innovations across all sectors, and its usage continues to grow daily. This increase in demand for AI products has led to the development of AI data centers nationwide. Fueled by competition between the public and private sectors, many projects are underway. This study focuses on one such project in West Texas: the Stargate Data Center. This project is being constructed near Abilene, Texas, and has had an instrumental impact on the daily lives of its citizens. This research project seeks to answer the …

Cross-Facility Reliable Deep Learning Based Beef Marbling Assessment Via Unsupervised Domain Adaptation Regression, Samuel Vinson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Inconsistent quality grading in beef production leads to inefficiencies, economic disparity, and consumer mistrust. While USDA meat grading traditionally relies on skilled visual inspectors, these human evaluations suffer from cross-facility variability and subjectivity. This paper introduces the first known application of unsupervised domain adaptation regression for cross-facility beef marbling score prediction—an innovation that improves generalization across diverse environments in the beef supply chain. Utilizing numerical scores ranging from 100-900, the research employed convolutional neural networks (CNNs), including ResNet, VGG, and AlexNet architectures. The study specifically introduced and validated a unified unsupervised domain adaptation regression method using the ResNet-50 architecture to …

How Licensing Compromised The Library, Aaron Perzanowski

Articles

Libraries are under attack on multiple fronts. Fueled by right-wing talking points, social-media misinformation, and conspiratorial fantasy, efforts to remove or restrict access to books in public and school libraries have exploded across the United States. At the same time, libraries have confronted a disturbing rise in threats of violence and harassment directed at staff and patrons. State and federal actors have targeted library budgets. And on occasion, local residents have voted to defund their own libraries.

But it gets worse. Libraries face new challenges to their basic operations. Materials are harder than ever to acquire, and many in-demand digital …

The Double Desert Dichotomy And Its Political Consequences, Sophie Coker

Political Science

Millions of Americans lack adequate broadband access. While there is a lack of clear consensus of the number of households without broadband services between Federal Communications Commission and independent estimates, one factor is clear: rural communities are disproportionately excluded from adequate broadband coverage. The same areas which lack broadband access find themselves in news deserts, or a community that is no longer covered by daily or nondaily newspapers. Moreover, there is a crossover between the communities underserved by broadband services and the communities lacking local news sources. Double deserts, where lack of broadband and local news access meet, are threats …

Protest, Power, And Democratic Accountability, Prajeeta Vaidya

Political Science

Around the world, organized forms of protest have become the central mechanism through which citizens attempt to hold political elites accountable and keep urgent public issues alive. Protest is not a new concept; it started from mass street mobilizations to digitally networked movements. Collective action increasingly serves as an alternative arena for exercising democratic voice when institutions appear unresponsive. Ancient Greece was the first to coin the word "democracy," meaning "rule by the people" (National Geographic, Democracy, n.d.). Elections, parties, and public institutions are designed to channel citizens' voices into policy outcomes, but in practice, these mechanisms often fall short. …

Multicultural Nationalism And The Politics Of Belonging In Australia, Grace Mancuso

Political Science

In contemporary political discourse, nationalism and multiculturalism are often stated to be fundamentally opposing forces. With nationalism emphasizing unity and shared identity, and multiculturalism emphasizing cultural diversity and difference. As the world becomes more interconnected and discourse around immigration has become rampant, many nations are looking for a way to unify their currently divided populations. Multicultural nationalism has been called upon by many scholars as a potential solution to growing divisions, especially in countries with high levels of social diversity such as Australia and the United States. However, many politicians and social scientists are skeptical of this notion fearing it …

Historical Comparison Of Bridal Fashion Symbolism: Contrasting Queen Elizabeth Ii, Princess Diana, And Catherine, Princess Of Wales, Rebecca O'Dea

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding and insight into the profoundness behind the practice of dress. Throughout history, royal attire has been used to demonstrate aspects about the individual and regency. Royal fashion served as an excellent area to narrow in on, due to the influential status, and high standards expected of their appearance and actions. This research project studied members of British royal family, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, and analyzed fashion elements of their wedding dresses. The examination of bridal fashion was conducted through thematic framework determining if the concepts …

Exploring The Significance Of Hyper-Feminine Fashion Within Gen Z, Riley D. Frymark

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines the rise of hyper-feminine fashion within Gen Z and the role that social media plays in shaping trends. Through a social media content analysis, this study explores how hyper-feminine fashion and aesthetics gained popularity and how it is perceived by Gen Z women. The findings suggest that Gen Z associates hyper-feminine fashion with empowerment, agency, and a sense of nostalgia redefining and challenging traditional expectations of femininity. These findings informed a fashion design developed to reflect key themes and design elements identified in the content analysis such as a pink color palette, lace, bows, and ruffles. Overall, …

The World Of Counterfeits: How Fake Sneakers And Clothing Affect The Fashion Industry, Jake R. Watkins

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Counterfeit sneakers and clothing continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, creating a global market valued between $400 and $800 billion and posing significant challenges for both consumers and fashion brands (Cardona, 2024). This study investigates the motivations behind counterfeit purchases, the economic and social factors that sustain counterfeit culture, and the effectiveness of current authentication resources. Using qualitative content analysis of discussions across 4 selected Reddit communities, the research identifies five dominant themes influencing counterfeit consumption: financial constraints, social display, authenticity and identity, ethical rationalization, and functional use. Findings reveal that consumers frequently turn to counterfeit goods due to …

The Impacts Of Doomscrolling On Adolescent Development, Neyssa Birotte

Education

Current research indicates that doomscrolling on social media negatively impacts one’s mental health and emotional well-being. The term “doomscrolling” refers to the act of scrolling excessively through distressing content on social media, often leading the individual down a rabbit hole of bad news. Doomscrolling can be associated with any type of distressing or traumatic event, such as school shootings or the COVID-19 pandemic. Being exposed to such negative content on a daily basis can be destructive to adolescents’ mental health. As a result, this can influence their ability to manage their own emotions in a healthy manner. Additionally, doomscrolling is …

Where Were Women?: Women In The United States Intelligence Organizations From The Office Of Strategic Services To The Central Intelligence Agency, Madison Harris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

United States intelligence historians have largely neglected the importance of women’s intelligence labor as well as the centralized intelligence organizations that existed from World War II to the early years of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – including the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), Strategic Service Unit (SSU), and Central Intelligence Group (CIG). While assumptions about women in intelligence work during this period are usually drawn from stereotypical portrayals in popular media, such as books and movies, this thesis utilized statistical data and other agency sources to build a broader understanding of women’s actual labor.

This thesis demonstrates that women …

Teacher–Student Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Effective Classroom Leadership, Ty P. Rockwell

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

A teacher is the leader of their classroom. Strong teachers manage classroom climate, deliver engaging instruction, support students’ academic outcomes, and form lasting relationships with students. This study examined whether teacher–student relationship quality predicts student engagement, academic success, and subject interest, and whether classroom psychological safety and perceived teacher support help explain those links. Drawing on leader-member exchange (LMX) theory and educational psychology, the study treated teachers as classroom leaders and asked University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) undergraduates to recall either a positive or a negative experience with a high school core-course teacher. A total of 128 participants completed …

Blockchain Message Integrity For Messaging App: Python-Based Implementation Of Blockchain-Backed Verification And Tamper Detection, Brendan J. Farrell

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

With the rapid development and use of digital communication, the need for maintaining the integrity and authenticity of transmitted information becomes more pressing than ever.  However, existing methods of data exchange have several flaws and drawbacks such as reliance on centralized networks which are subject to manipulation, modifications, and potential failures.  Thus, the current project offers an innovative approach to improving the integrity and detection capabilities of messages in real-time communication platforms using the power of blockchain technology.  The proposed solution uses the inherent features of blockchain-based systems to ensure secure and safe message transmission.

Artistic Embodiment: The Role Of Art-Based Research In Communicating Disability Experiences, Juliana Scheopner

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Visual art has immense potential to communicate complex experiences of disability. As a disabled artist, I am interested in how disability has been portrayed in artwork, particularly in how other disabled artists choose to represent their lived experiences. Through art-based research, this study explores how disabled artists have used portraiture to depict their disability. Selected art includes work from Frida Kahlo, Deborah Padfield, Persimmon Blackbridge, and the author. Following an analysis of literature, selected artworks, and salient disability scholarship, emergent themes were identified. The focus on the complexity of disability experiences demonstrated the importance of considering a wide range of …

The Self-Perception & Identity Of Latino Men: Looking At The 2024 Presidential Election & Its Impact On Latino Communities, Lucia M. Revollo

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and under the second Trump administration, Latino and immigrant community has experienced significant sociopolitical impacts. During the presidential campaigning of the elections, media narratives focused on the male Latino voters as a contributing factor to this presidential election. However, this was not as big of a contributor as the media and research centers are portraying. This study addresses critical gaps in existing research by examining the self-perception and identity of Latino men and how these factors shaped their voting decisions in the 2024 presidential election. Especially looking at the current trends in …

Tarot - Reimagined: Monotype Tarot Landscapes, Eleanor B. Nelson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Printmaking is a form of artmaking that utilizes transferring marks from the matrix to the final piece of paper, often through a press. These processes are able to create an edition of multiple identical prints. This is typically considered the highlight of using print processes; however, the process of making monotypes allows for one original piece. Through the process of researching and creating watercolor monotypes, I made a collection of ten original pieces, all depicting different landscapes throughout the Tarot deck. Each piece is 9” x 12” printed on a 13” x 17” piece of paper and created with watercolor, …

Pussy Protest! Protest Zines To Uplift Marginalized Voices, Alekz Nelson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

A publication of 4 separate zines made up of 12 pages each. The zines delve into the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act, trans women and their music artistry, lack of lesbian media, and inmate working conditions. These zines aim to not only raise awareness towards these issues, but spark action from readers by providing practical and doable options to pursue. With societal attitudes and political administrations becoming more conservative, spreading this information and awareness is vital to ensure that these alternatives ways of life are not forcibly erased.

Barriers And Facilitators Of Childhood Immunization: A Mixed Methods Assessment Of Health Care And Community Health Professionals’ Observations, Jenny Dong

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Childhood immunization has led to significant decreases in the burden of infectious disease morbidity and mortality. Despite these contributions, U.S. childhood vaccination rates have been declining in recent years, and updates to the federal immunization schedule have removed recommendations for several childhood vaccinations. Amid such an uncertain public health landscape, understanding how environmental conditions affect childhood immunization behaviors is crucial for ensuring that children receive the vital protections vaccines offer. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the barriers and facilitators of childhood immunization observed by Nebraska health care professionals (HCPs). This study utilized an online questionnaire and …

Trad Lives Of Tiktok Wives: Rhetorical Strategies Of Mormon Wives On Tiktok, Makena L. Colson

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Recently in the United States there have been debacles over gendered spaces in the home and workplace as debates spark over who a homemaker can be in a modernized society. TikTok, a short-form video social media app, is a way members of the younger generation communicate with one another over political and world events and discuss with one another in real time. The “tradwife” phenomenon on TikTok is examined here by using Walt Fischer’s Narrative Paradigm to show how what popular tradwife influencers’ words matter to a generation of adolescent girls and young mothers. Three popular influencers, Nara Smith, Hannah …

The Undergraduate Education And Scientific Literacy: Exploring How College Influences Student Perception Of Covid-19 Events, Peyton Brooking

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Current undergraduate students received much of their education following the events of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these students experienced pandemic events before receiving any or most of their science-based higher education. Exploring their progress through higher education, and how it retroactively influenced their perception of pandemic events, serves as an informative research area. This study explores how undergraduate education in the sciences influences student engagement with complex recent events in science. In addition, this study asked how higher education builds confidence in interpreting this information. Additionally, students were surveyed to understand their scientific literacy baseline at the beginning of …

“Am I A Criminal?”: How College Students Conceptualize Misconduct And Crime, Talia J. Norby

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Institutions of higher education play a critical role in regulating student behavior; however, existing research has given limited attention to how students themselves interpret conduct addressed through campus disciplinary systems. The present study examined how college students differentiate institutional misconduct from crime in university settings and whether those judgments are associated with perceptions of institutional legitimacy. Data was collected through an online Qualtrics survey administered to 146 students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Participants were presented with six vignette-based scenarios depicting campus-relevant behaviors and asked to classify each as criminal or non-criminal, rate its perceived severity, and identify …

Analysis Of The Effects Of Astaxanthin On Human Colorectal Cancer Cells, Kara A. Walters

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Astaxanthin (AXT) is an antioxidant carotenoid that is produced by the microalgae Haemococcus pluvialis. This supplement is best known for its potential health benefits including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, anticancer and antidiabetic activities. Astaxanthin is marketed as an oral dietary supplement and is widely used in the nutraceutical industry as well as a coloring agent in the food industry. Since Astaxanthin has been increasingly popular as a dietary supplement, cytotoxicity is relevant to consumer exposure. Obtaining the IC50, the concentration that inhibits 50% of cell growth, is important to find how Astaxanthin may interact with cancer, and this can be found …

Reckitt-Benckiser And Buprenorphine: Opioid Addiction Treatment, Drug Monopolies, And Consumer Implications, Peri G. Heyen

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The opioid crisis in the United States is a deadly epidemic that demands fair and accessible treatment for those affected. The introduction of buprenorphine for opioid addiction disorder in 2002 allowed for the first treatment of the disorder beyond the time intensive and stigmatized practices of methadone clinics, which proved to be revolutionary. Reckitt-Benckiser (“Reckitt”) and former subsidiary Indivior were able to gain a legal monopoly of buprenorphine through their orphan drug exclusivity designation on Suboxone tablets that was approved by the FDA. Once orphan drug exclusivity was near expiration and generic competition began to prepare to enter the market, …

Spring Dance Concert 2026 (Emerge) Playbill, Providence College Department Of Theatre, Dance, & Film

Playbill and Promotion

Providence College Department of Theatre, Dance, & Film

Angell Blackfriars Theatre

Spring Dance Concert 2026 (Emerge)

May 1, 2026, 7:30PM

May 2, 2026, 2PM

Director, Nina Kossler

Lighting Designer, Elissa Pensa Cerros

Choreographers: Elizabeth Graney, Caroline Guanci, Jade Bocciarelli, Caroline Puccini, Rowan Locascio-McLaughlin, Kiley Vallee, Heidy Guzman, Ella Ford, Gabriella Girard, Julia Mele, Emma Daigneau, Anna Gross, Camryn Lowry, Alyssa Rago, Grace Sittig

Dancers: Lola Blessington, Simone Chabot, Noël Rose DeRosa, Ella Ford, Elizabeth Graney, Katherine Pritchard, Kiley Vallee,  Elaina Bartolini, Alyssa Dalto, Caroline Guanci, Heidy Guzman, Riley Joyce, Heidi Nicholls, Anna Bernat, Jade Bocciarelli, Lauren Gerew, Julia Mele, Grace …

Being Scared In A Secondary Universe: Experiencing The Self Through The Horror Film, Emily C. Hueser

Media and Cultural Studies Honors Projects

This paper explores the horror film as a site of self-creation. Using Michel Foucault and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, I argue that the horror genre primes the viewer for an embodied, affective experience, and the resulting interaction between self and screen constitutes and redefines the self. By engaging with Jordan Peele’s Get Out, David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and The Fly, and Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, I explore how horror films engage our physical bodies and rework our experience and understanding of race, disability, and collectivity. These interactive experiences of filmviewing allow us to conceptualize the cinema as a tangible site of identity creation, …

Leading With Intentionality: A Prek-12th Grade Public School District's Initial Journey Of Ethical Artificial Intelligence Integration, Michael J. Lucas Dr.

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

This article chronicles the intentional and evolving approach of Westside Community Schools in Omaha, Nebraska, toward integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into teaching and learning. Grounded in historical parallels to earlier technological shifts such as calculators, the Internet, and search engines, the district emphasizes ethical implementation, transparency, and ongoing professional learning rather than restriction or avoidance.

Through the development of an AI Task Force, differentiated professional development, and community engagement initiatives, Westside seeks to promote AI literacy while preserving academic integrity and human-centered decision-making. The district’s framework prioritizes safety, equity, and responsible use, positioning AI as a tool to enhance—not replace—critical …

Harnessing Ai In Legal Education: Opportunities For Innovation, Leadership, And Student Success, Peculiar Awa, Grant Shostak

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly transforming the practice of law, from predictive analytics in policing and algorithmic sentencing to generative AI-assisted drafting and research. Despite this technological shift, legal education remains predominantly doctrinal, inadequately preparing graduates to function effectively in an AI-mediated environment. This paper contends that law and legal studies programs must integrate AI literacy, applied AI skills, and ethical instruction into curricula. By leveraging experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, AI-driven simulations, and critical inquiry, institutions can produce graduates who are both technically competent and ethically grounded, ready to navigate the evolving legal profession.